Like many others, we've been trying to cut some meat out of our lives. I was drawn to this book, because it would give me some of the ways beans are made around the world. You find out the origin, items that can go with it, and gave me so many tips and ideas. Although this was a digital book, I'm ordering a hard copy of this for myself, and I don't do that because then I collect way too many!

Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you like beans or foods favored by different nationalities, buy this book! It is outstanding in every way, from how the chapters are laid out to how the recipes are laid out. Each recipe has a gorgeous photo plus an explanation of its name, origin, or other matters of interest. The ingredients and preparation are clear enough for anyone to follow. The book even includes specific information about what to serve with the featured recipes. The author is clearly an expert; however he comes across as friendly and entertaining. I have marked too many recipes to mention by name. I’d give this book 5+ stars if I could!

This a great educational book as well as a cook book. I learned a lot about beans and could therefore understand their uses in everyday life and in specific meals. I loved the full-color photographs that show great detail of the beans. I was also able to see what recipes should look which makes me less nervous to cook them.

Steve Sando is an heirloom bean advocate and founder of Rancho Gordo. His new book not only has intriguing recipes which actually seem doable for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans, but is also beautifully illustrated with color photographs. One of my favorite parts of the book is the description of color, texture, and taste of fifty different heirloom beans. Each one is illustrated and has suggested recipes. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I think this book fell into my hands at a great time. After reading Eating to Extinction by Dan Saladino, I've been more interested in heirloom foods for environmental and global food security reasons. So finding an entire cookbook (and company that supports small heirloom farms!) dedicated to heirloom beans? Sounds like providence.

I love when cookbooks include backstories, information, and tips in their introductions and recipe intros, which this one does and in a way that can be extremely helpful. Plus the recipes themselves are organized into interesting categories and use a variety of the thematic ingredient. Plus most - if not all, recipes include a vegetarian variation. Most recipes seem to have influence from Mexican/Central American and Italian influence with a bit of African and Persian sprinkled in.

My only real complaint is that it says it's aimed at home cooks, but a lot of the ingredient list are things that are not common to most home cook shelves, such as safflower oil, pineapple vinegar, specific Spanish paprikas and Mexican oreganos, and endives are some examples that I can think of (unless perhaps you're from a very urban area and can source these ingredients at your local Walmart? It's a sad day to be a rural dweller). Plus just the constant stressing of sourcing super fresh ingredients - not always an option for the home cook on a budget. Sometimes it just gives exclusionist vibes. :')

As someone who eats plant based and loves beans, I was excited when I saw this cookbook. The photographs are fantastic and there are a # of recipes I plan on making soon. Love the descriptions of the many beans that are out there and this will also encourage me to branch out beyond just black beans or kidney beans.

For anyone that is looking to add more beans and protein to their diet, this is a good place to start.

I routinely cook beans in many ways for my family. They are nutritious and tasty in so many different ways, but after so many years, I needed some new and exciting recipes for them. Steve Sando has provided this in an easy to follow with excellent results cookbook. A friend of mine told me about the book and she was right, it deserves to be shared with everyone looking for healthy meal options that won't break your budget and will make your family ask for more.

My husband and I love beans - when we have them. But we don't really have them all that often. That might change now.

I usually read the introduction in my cookbooks. I found this introduction to be informative and fun reading. The photographs are gorgeous and the beans shown are colorful and exciting new options.

The recipes open with a selection of bean appetizers and then moves to salads. The Garbanzo Salad with Shaved Red Onions and Fennel sounded really good to me. The next section is Soups. That's one of my favorite ways to eat beans. One of the recipes that appealed to me was the Escarole Soup with Giant White Beans and Country Ham. Then you'll find Stews and other Main dishes, some with meat, some without, but so many that I'd like to try. Do you like Baked Beans? Lots and lots of delicious sounding baked bean dishes are provided, but these are not your mother's baked bean recipes.

Some many good things to try. And to eat healthier.

This cookbook is filled with delicious recipes for cooking with beans! I love the variety both in cuisine types and categories, including dips, sides, mains, and even desserts! There are a lot of recipes I haven't heard of before and can't wait to try! As this book was written by the founder of the Rancho Gordo bean company, the recipes focus on using the types of dried beans the company sells, many of which are uncommon. However, he does give a list of substitutes for most recipes, so you can use something easier to find, if needed.

The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars, is that it has neither allergy/diet labels, nor nutrition information. I personally find those things very helpful in cookbooks, as I can quickly scan through recipes to find ones that work for the people I am cooking for.

I've already made a few recipes from this book, there really is no limit to what you can do with beans! I am a vegetarian and just love how cheap and healthy beans are, and the vast variety. I love that Sando gives me so many more options to keep beans fresh and exciting for my family. Highly recommend, such a versatile book!

Beans at ist best.
Die Vielfalt der Bohnen, die vielfältigen Zubereitungsmœglichkeiten.
Wer Bohnen mag, mag diese Buch.

The Bean Book is a fresh tutorial guide to the staple versatile legumes written by Steve Sando, with recipes curated by the author. Due out 10th Sept 2024 from Penguin Random House on their Ten Speed Press imprint, it's 288 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

Beans (and other legumes) are often shoved to the side in most dishes. There are relatively few recipes where they are really allowed to shine. Beans are used to provide protein and bulk to soups and stews. The author is a true believer and the 100 recipes here are both traditional and innovative. Additionally, the author invites readers to learn about the different types of beans and their uses, and the book is full of minutiae and interesting tidbits about origins and species of bean, and how to showcase them at their best. This -is- a book full of heirloom beans (which the author's company sells), but he provides alternatives in the recipes to rarer heirloom beans.

The introductory tutorials (how to choose, how to grow, general how to cook, and pantry/staples lists), a very handy primer on bean types, leads directly into the recipes, arranged thematically: bean dips/appetizers, salads, soups, braises stews & stovetop dishes, beans & grains, baked beans, patties fillings sauces & more, and sweets stocks & salsas.

Recipe ingredients are listed bullet style in a sidebar, followed by step-by-step prep instructions. Ingredient measures are given in imperial (American) units. The recipes do not have nutritional info listed. The ingredients will mostly be readily available at any well stocked grocery store in North America. Some of the bean varieties might require a specialist grocery store or international grocer. The emphasis is on whole ingredients and the recipes are fairly light on premade/convenience ingredients, which is a plus. The author does use items like premade hot sauce/pepper sauce, but otherwise very few convenience items.

About 20% of the recipes are accompanied by one or more photos. The dishes are professionally styled, colorful, appealing, and appropriate.

This is a good "everyday" recipe book and will find a home in casual home kitchens. Not all the recipes are vegetarian/vegan friendly (many are), but there are a generous number of entries which are without meat or animal products and most of the others can be adapted fairly easily.

Five stars. This is a very attractive colorful and useful book. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home use, smallholding, gardening club library, or similar uses.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is a perfect addition to the shelves of anyone looking for classic and unique bean recipes.

I loved learning more about different types of beans and how to prepare them. I tried several recipes, which were all delicious. And it has inspired me to try some different bean varieties. Note- most recipes are vegan/vegetarian as written or adaptable, but not all. We eat meat and love to flavor beans with meat, so it’s a good fit for us!

The images are gorgeous, and the recipes are easy to follow.

I highly recommend this beautiful bean book!

I am so excited to get a chance to review Steve Sando’s The Bean Book. I personally have a shelf of Rancho Gordo beans to use and needed some inspiration. This book definitely gave it to me. The recipes are clear and simple. Some are quite unique and outside the box (Breakfast Bean soup!) The photography is gorgeous. I’m so glad descriptions of each type of bean is included - very helpful. This is such a great resource for bean enthusiasts and RG club subscribers.

This book is packed with information. It includes a short description of a whopping 50 different varieties of beans! It talks about different cooking methods. It includes a “The Bean Lovers Pantry” which helps you stock up your pantry with some great flavor companions.

And then, of course, there are the recipes—well-formatted and easy to follow. They hail from around the world and range from savory to sweet, including everything from humble refried beans to decadent navy bean pie.

The first thing I did upon finishing this book was order myself some heirloom beans. I am so ready to start cooking. I'll be starting with the Pizza Beans!

Expect to be inspired!

Good things have come to the bean world. Steve Sando has spent years bringing quality beans to his garden and his recipes. His path began with a simple pinto-type bean named Rio Zape which led him from farmer’s markets to an international corporation with the focus continuing on the quality of the beans. There are details on fifty beans with each having a beautiful photograph and recipe recommendations. These recipes range from simple to complex, but all showcase the bean.

This cookbook is gorgeous.
It seems that the author took a lot of time in the prep for this book - you will see beautiful pictures of bean-inspired dishes that resonate with a variety of cuisines.

Some sample categories:
Bean Dips/Appetizers
Bean Soups & Stews
Beans and Rice Dishes

Just those categories alone cover what I believe most people would be interested in learning from a book like this, but the best part is that there is such much more.

Great book. Thank you to NetGalley and to Steve Sando for providing this title in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be buying a physical copy for my kitchen.

*I received a free eArc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review*

I am looking for ways to incorporate more plant-based protein in my life to improve my health and stretch my household food budget, so I though I'd give this cookbook a try. I am grateful for the recipes, as it seems that beans can make a lot more than I thought they could. I didn't realise you could use beans in dessert, but you definitely can. I have noted a few of these recipes that I'll be trying. There are some that are picky-kid-friendly, but most aren't. So I'm not so sure if this is a great cookbook for families with small children, unless your small children will eat variety and/or new foods without issue.

I especially like that the book delves into different cultures foods, and gives a little insight and knowledge about different types of beans that most people would never know. It's interesting.

As a beanie, I really appreciated the focus on beans, which are nature's little powerhouses. Sando's tips on preparing beans were a standout and will definitely inspire your culinary adventures. Unfortunately, I couldn't source the specific beans used in most recipes, and many dishes left me unenthused. Perhaps it’s because I couldn’t find the right beans, or maybe the magic was lost in translation.

Overall, "The Bean Book" is like a mixed bag of heirloom beans—some gems, some duds. The lack of photo captions (blame it on the e-book format) adds to the mystery. While not a home run, it’s worth exploring for the bean wisdom alone.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Considering the current cost of groceries, I was originally interested in The Bean Book by Steve Sando because I was looking for affordable but nutritious and tasty recipes. If you substitute store-bought beans in these recipes, that might be achievable. But, if you order the beans suggested in this book, a lot of them cost more per pound than chicken and beef cost at my local grocery store. So, that being said, I did not try any of these recipes exactly as written due to the cost and inconvenience of having to order online and wait for the ingredients to show up in the mail.

Sadly, none of these recipes particularly wowed me. Plus, most of the recipes required you to cook a pot of beans (a 3 hour process on the stove top) before even starting on the chosen recipe. There were instructions for alternate methods, but I was hoping for more slow cooker or instant pot recipes.

The Bean Book was a little more niche than I was looking for. You don't need to be a vegetarian/vegan to appreciate this book, but you do need to have the luxury of time. If you're interested in higher-end, quality, heirloom ingredients then you might want to give this book a try.

Thank you to NetGalley, Steve Sando, and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. A review was not required, and all opinions given are my own.